Synthesis and characterization of Ti 3 C 2 TX MXene nanoparticles from large MAX phase precursors for wearable electronic textile devices Laura Jug a , Silvo Hribernik b , Alenka Ojstršek a a aUniversity of Maribor, Institute of Engineering Materials and Design, Smetanova ulica 17, Maribor, Slovenia b University of Maribor, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Koroška cesta 46, Maribor, Slovenia Two-dimensional (2D) transition metal carbides and nitrides, also known as MXenes, have gained immense research interest due to their potential applications in diverse fields. Among of all MXenes, Ti 3 C 2 T x MXene nanoparticles exhibit unique properties such as high electrical conductivity, pseudocapacitance, excellent dispersion in aqueous solutions, and mechanical strength, making them an ideal candidate for many applications, including wearable electronic textile devices. Typically, the synthesis of Ti 3 C 2 T x MXene involves the etching of aluminum from the Ti 3 AlC 2 phase precursor with hydrofluoric acid which can be used directly or in situ . To achieve larger and better-quality particles with higher electrical conductivity, it is essential to synthesize particles with larger surface dimensions. By increasing the flake surface area, the internal resistance is reduced, which improves the movement of charge carriers between the layers and prevents bending. However, the maximum size of etched Ti 3 C 2 T x flakes is limited by the initial size of the Ti 3 AlC 2 precursor (MAX) phase, which is typically smaller than 40 μm [1, 2]. In this study, an optimized etching process using larger initial MAX phase particles (100 μm) was developed to synthesize Ti 3 C 2 T x particles suitable for deposition on fabric substrates. We confirmed the success of the synthesis through X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) analysis, Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) method and zeta potential measurements. Additionally, dynamic laser light scattering (DLS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) (to determine the size/distribution of the synthesized particles) were employed for further characterization of the resulting particles. Ti 3 C 2 T x MXene nanoparticles were further applied on cotton fabric employing a pre-optimized dip-coating process. The surface morphologies of Ti 3 C 2 T x MXene/cotton fabrics were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). For analyzing the electro-conductivity of prepared MXene/cotton fabric, the electrical resistance was measured and compared with the MXene/cotton fabric modified with Ti 3 C 2 T x particles synthesized from smaller MAX (40 μm) phase. Due to the abundant functional groups (-OH,-F,-O) on the surface of Ti 3 C 2 T x MXenes, they are easily bound and form good mutual interactions with the cellulose-based fabric without the need of adding crosslinkers or binders. From the obtained results, it can be concluded that the synthesized Ti 3 C 2 T x MXene nanoparticles applied to cotton fabrics exhibited high electrical conductivity, indicating their potential for use in wearable electronic textile devices. Our study provides valuable insights into synthesizing and characterizing Ti 3 C 2 T x MXene nanoparticles using larger initial MAX phase particles (100 μm) for various applications, including wearable electronic textile devices. Acknowledgments: The authors would like to acknowledge the financial support received in the frame of the Slovenian Research Agency (ARRS)- young researcher program (P2-0118). References 1. A. VahidMohammadi, J. Rosen, and Y. Gogotsi, "The world of two-dimensional carbides and nitrides (MXenes)," Science, vol. 372, no. 6547, 2021. 2. N. Chen, W. Yang, and C. Zhang, "Perspectives on preparation of two-dimensional MXenes," Science and Technology of Advanced Materials, vol. 22, no. 1, pp. 917-930, 2021/12/31 2021.
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